Matters of Fire and Ice
by BirbDuchess
Summary: Kemara was always a little bit different than everyone else. Her powers make her stick out, even among the Jedi. Maybe thats why she became such fast friends with Anakin. When Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon found her in the streets, they knew they had to take her in. But what do you do when you have a destiny just as important as being the Chosen One? Well, Kemara's about to find out.
1. The First Memory

**Hey guys! I have a pretty good idea about how I want this story to go but I also wanted to let you guys help me out maybe? If you guys were interested. I'm debating between going full chronological and following the timeline strictly, or do a little jumping with flashbacks and such. I'm leaning more towards the flashbacks, but let me know what you guys think!!!!**

"So..." Anakin started as we sat across from each other in the Temple refectory. I raised an eyebrow at him as I brought my fork up to my mouth and bit the food off of it. I had been eating by myself when Anakin came in and noticed me. Instead of getting food, he just sat down and watched me eat. I didn't find it bothersome, I was just curious as to what he was thinking. "What's it like having powers?" I raised my other eyebrow and furrowed them.

"You know, some people would ask you the same thing." I said with a small smirk.

"You know what I mean!" He let out exasperatedly. "Jedi... the Force... a lot of people know about it. But you... you're different. You're a Jedi but you're also something else." I don't know why but anger welled up in me as I took my now empty tray and stood up.

"Gee, thanks for putting a label on me, Anakin." I snapped as I turned my back and headed for the door. I was out the door and walking through a garden by the time he ran up and caught me.

"I didn't mean to make you feel different. You belong here, you do! I was just saying-Kemara!" When I didn't stop, Anakin grabbed my wrist and spun me around so I was looking at him. "You're special!" He blurted out. I froze.

"Anakin... you're special." I shot back softly. "You were brought here because you have a destiny... I was brought here because I had no where else to go." He took a step forward and lowered his voice.

"You were brought here because Master Qui-Gon saw in you what Master Kenobi saw in you. The potential to be a great Jedi." He comforted. "And both of them were very smart." I half smiled at him.

"It's scary how good you are at talking yourself out of problems." I remarked as I turned back to walking through the garden.

"It's one of my charms." He walked me back to my dorm through the Temple. My new home. Well, not necessarily brand new at this point, but newer to me than most of the younglings. I had been here for about 4 years now. And now Anakin's new home too. I sighed as I opened the door and walked through. "I mean it though, Mari. You are here because you are special." I turned around to him.

"Weird." I corrected as I held up my palm out at him.

"Then I'm weird too." He shot back quickly. I couldn't help but smile.

"You are pretty weird." I teased with a smirk as I pulled my hand back to lean against the door frame, supporting myself with both my hands. A lightbulb seemed to turn on in his head as his smile brightened. "What..?" I asked hesitantly.

"The weird ones." He looked so proud of himself.

"What?" I asked again, raising and furrowing my eyebrows.

"That's what we are. We're the weird ones. The special ones." He elaborated.

"I like special better." I commented.

"Deal." He jutted out his hand, waiting for me to take it. I lowered my eyebrows slightly, but my smile came back as I saw the determination in his eyes.

"Deal." I accepted his hand and we shook once.

"Goodnight, Mari." He said, taking a step back.

"Goodnight, Ani." I responded just as softly before shutting the door. And just like that, we were best friends. We were both the ones that stuck out like sore thumbs. Everyone knew we were different. And we embraced it. And each other. We always stuck by one another.

**Thanks for reading! Be sure to let me know if it's good and you want to see more! I, as always, take constructive criticism and tips on how to better my writing, but do not tolerate flames! Love y'all!**


	2. The Awakening

**Howdy, howdy! Thanks for continuing the story! I don't have much to say here so READ ON!**

I woke up with a pounding headache, like a gundark had used my head as a drum. I groaned as I sat up, putting a hand to my temple and my other hand up to cover my nose. It wreaked of... something. I wasn't sure what it was, but it wasn't pleasant. Perhaps urine? Actually, I don't want to think about it. I grunted and scrunched my face as I put my hand down from my temple to the ground to help myself stand up. I wobbled slightly, grabbing the wall while keeping my hand over my nose.

_Just keep moving_, I told myself. I stood up straighter and headed to the end of the alley I was in. There were people wandering the streets outside the alley so I put my hand down and walked out as casually as I could and got in with the flow of the crowd. I looked around casually as I walked down the street. The towering buildings blocked the sunlight from hitting the street. It looked like Coruscant but smelled way worse. There was a human getting beat up by two Rodians on the other side of the street and I'm pretty sure a handoff was happening right in front of me. Were these the under-levels of Coruscant? No. I looked at the signs and read the names of the bars and clubs. But I think all the words were in Huttese. What was I doing in Hutt space? Was this Nar Shaddaa?

"You alright, Miss?" A voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Uh, yeah. I'm just, a little confused on how I got here, is all." I said honestly, looking over to the man who asked. He had a light smile and an innocent look in his eyes. Not at all like any of these pirates and smugglers that surrounded me.

"Ah, just another drunk." He nudged a buddy next to him with a small chuckle. His Twi'lek friend gave a small laugh himself. "Well, you probably went crazy last night at that bar over there and passed out in that alley there." He pointed to a bar across the street then to the alley I just emerged from. I turned to look at the bar he pointed to, but my face contorted in confusion. I could not remember anything from last night. Or yesterday. Or the day before.

A sharp pain in my head made me stop thinking. I brought a hand up to my forehead again as my face contorted in pain and my eyes closed to block out the light. "What's your name, sweetheart?" The man asked. I opened my mouth to respond, but paused as I realized I didn't know. A loud clang behind me caused all of us to turn around and look at the source. A vendor had just dropped some items. I quickly looked around. My head was throbbing. He put a hand on my elbow and I saw a sign as I turned back around to face him. 'The Dancing Angels.'

"My name? Oh, it's Angel." I lied without missing a beat.

"You are an angel. Tell you what, you look like you're still workin over that hangover. Let's get you inside, get you taken care of." Everything in me wanted to say 'no' or politely decline or find some excuse to get away. Something about this man felt familiar yet off. But I didn't.

I nodded numbly. I melted into his touch as he put a hand on my lower back and gently held my arm with his other hand. His friend led us down the alley they were in front of and into a small alcove a few meters into they alley. He opened the door and gestured us in. The man led me to a couch and sat me down, letting his hand run up my back. I knew this was wrong. I could feel it in my gut. I wanted to run, to flee and hide, but I couldn't. My mind wouldn't let me. He brought his other hand to my cheek as he leaned forward. My body leaned back, even though I didn't tell it to. I was scared. Why? Because he was going to kiss me? No. Something was wrong. "It's a shame." He whispered. "You were so pretty."

Tentacles started emerging from his cheeks. He was an Anzat! They got closer and closer to my face. I sat there, helpless. I closed my eyes, scared. No, terrified. He was going to eat my brains while I was alive and I couldn't even act. Couldn't move. I was going to die here, on this stupid, disgusting, cesspool of a moon. I couldn't even remember my own name. My name. Why couldn't I remember? Something in me shifted as I felt his proboscises graze my own cheeks. I felt a surge of strength. Not just strength, power. I grabbed onto it and held on for dear life. I felt myself break free.

Immediately, reaching forward, I grabbed his tentacles and ripped them away. I didn't mean to rip them off his face, but anger surged in me. He cried out and grabbed his face. I brought my leg up and planted my foot on his chest, kicking out with all my strength. He landed on his table and they both crashed to the floor. The legs broke off and he hit the ground hard.

I quickly pushed myself off the couch, adrenaline pumping through me now. The male Twi'lek ran at me, pulling something out of his back pocket. He threw his hand forward and I caught it without even thinking. I twisted his wrist and he cried out as he dropped the knife. He pulled his arm back and threw a leg out, but I darted out of the way.

I tried to make a run for the kitchen, but he grabbed me by the nape of my neck and pulled me to the ground. He got himself on top of me and our arms wrestled. He finally managed to push my arms out of the way and close his hands around my throat. I tried to pry his fingers off my throat, but he had his entire body weight behind him. I felt that power surge in me again. Instinctively, I threw my palm out and against his chest and he flew back off of me and into the far kitchen wall. I quickly stood up, putting a soft hand to my neck. I watched him for a moment. He didn't get back up, but I knew he wasn't dead. That was wild.

Something told me to move, so I ducked and rolled forward. I heard a whoosh of air as something flew through the air where my head just was a second ago. I quickly turned around to meet his crazed gaze. "You little schutta!" I heard him yell. He was in agony, I could feel his pain.

He charged, but he was wobbly. Off balance due to his pained frenzy. I ducked down and slid under his strong punch. I popped back up only for him to turn and try again. I grabbed his arm and flipped him over me this time. I didn't see the broken leg table that was sticking up. I only saw it once it had pierced the Anzat's chest.

I gasped and quickly took a step back as I realized what I had done. Tears welled and my knees felt weak as I saw him gasp and writhe in pain. His torment flowed over me as his body shuddered with his last breath. Then, there was nothing. A strangled cry escaped my lips as I'd looked at the carnage before me. Blood smeared his face from where I'd pulled his tentacles off and was pooling underneath him and staining his shirt from where he'd just been impaled by the table leg. By me. I'd killed him. I looked down at my hands. The hands I'd used to send the Twi'lek flying and the hands I'd used to put the Anzat on the ground. No blood. I hadn't gotten blood on me. I knew I needed to go. I had to find somewhere else to hide. Hide. I had to hide. A needed a cloak. I turned numbly and went into a room, locating a cloak on a chair.

As my fingertips grazed the material, sights, sounds and feelings washed over me. I saw the Anzat leading another young girl into the living room. Doing the same thing he did to me. I felt the evil in him. The pleasure he got as he killed her. Not just her. Others too. Her cries of pain rang through my ears. I gasped as the sensations stopped. I gripped the fabric in my fist tightly. Anger welled in me. He's done this to other people. Countless young girls. For some reason, my anger didn't stop the horror I felt from killing him. I pulled the cloak over myself, running from that room.

I didn't stop to look at either of the men on the ground as I ran from that horrid place.

**Thanks, y'all! Just remember, reviews inspire us so be sure to drop all of those wonderful questions, comments, and concerns. (No flames though, please! Just constructive things!)**


	3. On the Run

My heart beat loudly in my ears as I tried to maintain my composure while walking through the streets. I was scared, confused, and worst of all, alone. I had no one to turn to for help. Nowhere to go. I needed to find transportation to, well, anywhere else. I should've taken some credits while I was in that disgusting apartment.

On second thought, the less stuff I touched in there, the better. I still didn't understand. How was I able to do those things? I saw the horrific things those men had done to the poor girls. I could feel that Anzat's pain as he died. Hell, I even pushed that Twi'lek across a whole room! I was so lost in my thoughts, I bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I muttered as I brushed past, keeping my head down. They looked at me for a second before turning around and walking away. I huffed out a breath. Maybe I could find someone to take me somewhere in exchange for work.

Who was I kidding? I didn't know where to go. I didn't even know who I was. I wanted to scream. I turned down an alley and walked a ways till I thought I was by myself before kicking a trash receptacle and letting out a frustrated groan. I kept walking down the back alleys, not really sure of where I was going.

I stopped for a moment, trying to think back on the last thing I could before waking up. Except it was blank. My first memory is of me killing a man. Tears welled and I continued down the alley, crying silently.

A familiar feeling washed over me. I picked my head up and looked around ahead of me. Just more alleyways. I turned back and tried my best to get back to the main vendor areas. I tried to snuff my sniffles as I kept walking with the flow of the crowd. I don't know what I felt that told me to look, but when I looked over my shoulder to see two men talking with the man I just bumped into, my heart skipped a beat. And it wasn't the giddy kind. My breath caught in my throat when I caught sight of their belts. Lightsabers. They were Jedi. I turned back around and picked up my pace, trying not to look too rushed in a crowd full of shady people.

More questions raced through my mind. Why were Jedi here? They were talking to the man I bumped into. That can't be a coincidence. They were after me. Why me? Because I killed a man. I brought a hand up and held my cloak tighter to my chest. Not my cloak. It belonged to the man I killed. I had to find somewhere to hide. I glanced down an alley and decided it would do. Walking even faster, the tears in my eyes threatened to spill.

Of all the criminals here, why did they care about one girl, who was just trying to defend herself no less? I glanced over my shoulder to check and see if they were still behind me. When I didn't see them, I let out a small sniffle and looked back to find myself at a dead end. There was a small gap between two buildings, but it was a tight fit. I turned back around only to be met by the two Jedi. I let out a small gasp and backpedaled.

The younger, dark haired boy looked so happy. The older one seemed relieved. Me? I was terrified. I couldn't fight two Jedi. Who was I kidding? I couldn't fight one. A tear ran down my cheek as I quickly tried to explain.

"I-I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to kill him! He just came at me and before I knew what had happened I flipped him over and the broken leg table was there. I'm so sorry!" I rushed, taking another step back. More tears quickly followed the first. As I tried to tell them what I'd done, their faces morphed from happiness to utter confusion. The dark haired one even looked concerned.

"It's okay. We know. We know it was an accident." The young boy said. He looked about my age. "But, we're gonna get you out of here, okay? Get you home." My eyes widened. The Anzat had said similar things. But these men were Jedi. Surely they wouldn't try to hurt me, right? Fear washed over me. I couldn't trust anyone. "Hey-" He cut himself off when I bolted.

I squeezed between the buildings. Luckily, they couldn't fit. I could hear them shouting, but the pounding in my ears blocked everything else out. They'd have to go up and way around to get to this side. I ran through more and more alleys, my cloak flying around behind me. I found a sewer grate and quickly blanched at the horrible smell. But I had to. I pulled the grate off and had to bend down slightly to fit. I put a hand over my nose and mouth as I followed the tunnels. I heard shuffling and talking farther back in the tunnel. How did they already find me? I had to hurry. I finally came to another grate. I kicked it off, but quickly fell back and grabbed onto the wall. It was a giant drop off. I couldn't see the bottom. I quickly swallowed the lump in my throat and started climbing.

"Kemara!" I heard a voice call through the sewers. I paused. A name. He was referring to me, I think. Was that my name? Fear overruled my curiosity. They could be making it up. Trying to get me to stop running. I couldn't. I didn't want to accidentally hurt anyone else. I just wanted to be left alone. I needed to figure everything out. I noticed a transport coming. Several hundred meters below, that is. My gut told me to do the craziest thing. Jump.

The free fall was exhilarating. And the landing was as smooth as a nice astromech droid. I don't know how I did it, but I looked back to see the Jedi staring at me from the sewer grate. I felt the hurt wash off the younger one. The older one was concerned. I turned back to the ride. I had no idea where I was going.

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The ride didn't last too long, just a couple of hours, but it got me a long ways away from that other sector so I didn't mind one bit. When the transport came to a stop, I slid off the back, careful not to let anyone see. Then, acting as if I had been on the transport, I walked into the sector with everyone else. There were people lined up along the sides with their speeders, advertising their taxi services for sale.

The further I went into the sector, the shadier it got. Whew, and I thought the other sector was rough. I looked down an alley to see a Twi'lek holding a knife to a Zabrak's throat. The Zabrak was begging for his life. It made me think back to what I had done. He didn't even have a chance to beg for his life. I was criminal. Maybe Nar Shaddaa is where I belong now.

"Back so soon, eh?" A voice brought me out of my thoughts and stopped my walking. I turned to face a Nautolan who had a sly grin on his face. I felt uneasy, but he asked if I was back. Maybe he knew something that I did before I woke up. But what if he just wanted to hurt me like everyone else? Not surprising, considering where in the galaxy I was. "I didn't think you'd remember me. You were pretty out of it. Your friend was basically dragging you along with him." My eyebrows furrowed.

"I was with someone?"

"Oh, yeah. You were pretty grumpy about it too, but way too drunk to do anything other than trip and stumble along behind him. You kept trying to pull away from him and, ah, telling him to go away in a not so nice way."

"Sorry, I have lots of people I go out with from time to time. Could you describe him for me?" I feigned ditziness.

"Oh yeah, real dark robes. Brown hair, dark eyes. Pretty pale skin. Oh, and I think he had one of those laser sword things, although I didn't get a great look at it. He was wearing a cloak, which I thought was weird since you guys were bar hopping. At least, that's what he said. You really couldn't talk much, HAH!" His laugh startled me.

"Do you know where he- ah, we, went after you saw us?"

"Sure I do! I took you there! Hah!" He certainly was an energetic fellow. "I could take you there, for a price, that is. It's quite the walk." I sighed.

"I don't have any credits, sorry. If you could just tell me where it is, I'll find my way." He sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get any money out of me.

"Yeah, sure, it's a few kilometers down this way." He informed me, pointing down the street. "I don't know exactly which apartment, the complex's name was Setting Suns."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." I turned to leave but a thought popped into my head. "Oh, and the people that talk to you next, the ones asking for me, they'll have plenty of credits for your help." I called back as I walked away. I couldn't see it, but I knew excitement bubbled up in him. I let out out a sigh as I began my wandering, no idea where this Setting Suns apartment could be. Or what it would hold.

More questions than answers. Who was the man I was with? Why did he leave me out on that street alone? Was he a Jedi? I thought Jedi were supposed to help people, not leave them unconscious in an alleyway on one of the most disgusting planets in the galaxy. I scoffed. Obviously those Jedi that were following me wanted me caught. But I didn't understand. They acted like they knew me. Did they? Had we crossed paths before? I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

The walk was a half an hour before I found the complex. Now how was I supposed to figure out which apartment? I bit my lower lip as I slowly walked into the alley of doors. Nothing stuck out at me. Everything looked the same. No recognition anywhere. I clenched my fists again and groaned internally.

I was about to turn around and leave when I saw a door further down. I don't know why or how, but I knew it was the one. Like, I was drawn to it. I looked around cautiously before slowly walking over to it. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the open button. It slid right open. No lock? Weird. I stepped in and felt the wall for a light switch. I had passed the threshold entirely so the door slid shut behind me. Finding the switch, I flicked the lights on. My hand flew to my mouth, trying to keep the scream in.

**Thanks for reading! Be sure to drop those comments to inspire me! No flames please, that's just mean. See ya next chapter!**


	4. Realizations

**Hey, guys! So, these next couple chapters are a bit longer than the first few. If y'all would prefer longer chapters, just let me know and I'll work real hard to make 'em longer. That being said, if they're longer, there might be a few more days between updates versus the shorter chapters with more frequent updates. Again, just let me know so I can please the crowd! So, thanks for reading and READ ON!**

There was a dead Togruta laying on the floor. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth and there was a large burn hole on his back. He was right in the entryway so I stepped over him to get farther into the apartment. Everything else seemed to in order except there was a piece of cloth in the corner of the room. I walked over to it, grabbing it.

As soon as I touched it, screams filled my ears. Fear. Anger. Pain. I felt them all so, so, strongly. There was a knock on the door. I couldn't move. I was bound in the corner. The cloth was in my mouth, keeping my voice muffled.

"Look what you've done." A voice said. The man the Nautolan described walked into my view. He wasn't either of the first two Jedi chasing me. But, he took his lightsaber off his belt and stood next to the door. He opened the door and let the Togruta walk in the door before igniting his blade through his back. I screamed through the cloth. The blade was red.

A gasp escaped my lips as I stood up abruptly. I dropped the cloth, watching it hit the floor. I was here. I was there. In that corner. I watched the man kill that Togruta. Once again, tears welled. How did I keep doing this? I backed up, just staring at the cloth. I felt cold. So, so cold. I pulled the cloak tighter around myself and turned to walk out of the main room. The hallway behind me led to a bedroom.

I hastily entered the room, looking for escape from the other room. A desk and chair sat in the corner with a bed in the other corner. It was simple. Neat. A data pad sat on the desk, it's soft glow a stark contrast to the dark room. I stepped forward tentatively, holding my hands close to my chest, careful not to touch anything. My heart beat loudly in my chest and ears, stomach in my chest. I peered down on the data pad. I read the small words on the screen.

Her powers become crazed, uncontrolled when she touches the dark side. Her fear and anger get the better of her sometimes, but she's quick to take a deep breath and calm down.

My curiosity got the better of me. I picked up the data pad without thinking and was thrown into another vision. Although, it wasn't a scene. It was just voices.

"She is... resilient."

"Yes, I figured she would be. She is much like her mother." Anger washed over the man. I felt it.

"Then she'll break."

"Perhaps, but don't fixate on it. She has years of Jedi training in her. Finish your study. Find her weakness."

"It will be done."

I gasped and realized I was gripping the data pad with clenched fists. I relaxed and loosened my grip on it, only to realize it was ice cold. Powers? My mother? Jedi training? My weakness? Once again, I was left with more questions than answers. I let out a sigh and continued reading the data pad.

Her powers seem to be opposite of mine. Ironic, but fitting. She becomes more upset when I mention her friends rather than when I inflict pain upon her. I believe I have found her weakness.

Was this data pad referring to me? It had to be. I was the one tied up in the corner with that cloth in my mouth. I bit my lower lip again and set the data pad back down. Nothing else seemed to be amiss. I backed out of the room and looked through the apartment for anything else.

A realization dawned on me. If he left this stuff here, he might want to come back for it. I didn't want to be here when he did. I felt bad leaving the dead Togruta here, but I couldn't exactly take him with me. I opened the door and ran out of the apartment, only to see the two Jedi just a few doors down. They seemed just as surprised to see me as I was to see them. How did they get here so quick? How did they keep finding me? Panicking, I took a step back, ready to bolt.

"W-wait!" The young one called to me, putting his hands out. I grabbed the chest of my cloak and held it to me tighter, furrowing my eyebrows upward and pressing my lips together, trying to keep them from quivering. Quit being a baby, I told myself. "We just want to talk." He said, gesturing to the older man next to him. I took another step back when he took one forward. The older man picked up on it and held a hand out in front of the younger one, stopping him from coming any closer. "My name is Anakin." He told me, putting a hand on his chest. "Anakin Skywalker. This is my friend, Obi-Wan. Kenobi." He put a hand out to his friend.

"You're Jedi." I said quietly. He smiled and nodded.

"Yes, yes, we are." He seemed happy. Genuinely happy. I don't know why, but I felt happy too. A sense of giddiness washed over me. The one named Obi-Wan smiled softly as well. "Did you know that you are too?" My heart leaped into my throat and my smile faltered.

"I know you?" He nodded enthusiastically, but meaningfully. "Do you-" I choked on my words, tearing up. I don't know why, but I felt the need to apologize. I told them sorry.

"Hey, it's okay." Anakin told me sentimentally. I felt it, his heart just broke. If they were being honest, if I did know them and I grew up with them as a Jedi, they knew everything about me. Yet, I knew nothing about myself. If it was true, this was probably just as hard for them as it was for me. "I know this is a lot to take in. Just take your time." I could feel Obi-Wan's poignant agony. Anakin looked back at him as I switched between them. I took a shaky breath.

"Do you.. know my name?" I hesitated, not sure how they'd react. Not really sure if I wanted to know how they'd react. A cold crept up my spine and I shivered slightly. But it wasn't the temperature. It was inside me. A laugh echoed from above us. The warmth inside me was replaced by a creeping fear. I backed away from the Jedi and turned around, only to see another man jump from several stories above to block my other way.

"Yes, go ahead, Jedi. Tell Valors her name." His voice was distorted by a mask.

"You called out to me as Kemara earlier." I turned to Anakin again, scared. I had no where to run.

"I did! That's your name!" He pled.

"Don't lie to her, Jedi." The man behind me snapped. I turned around to face him again. "You've lied to her enough. It's time you finally tell her the truth!" My eyes stung and I could feel myself breathing faster. The fury that emanated from the man in front of me distressed me. I took a step back, but quickly turned on my heel when I heard Anakin's voice.

"It is the truth!" He growled. I was trapped, not knowing who to believe.

"Generals!" I heard from behind the Jedi. Two people in white armor ran around the corner and stopped by Anakin and Obi-Wan. One had blue markings on his gear and the other had yellow.

"Valors, you know the truth. Come with me." I turned around again to see the man with the mask with his hand extended to me, inviting me to take his hand.

"Kemara, don't!" I turned around to see Anakin with his hand out as well. A tear ran down my cheek. So many emotions. "He's lying to you!" Desperation.

"I have never once lied to her!" Aggravation.

I curled my fists and squeezed my eyes shut, bowing my head.

"You're trying to trick her right now!" Anger.

I couldn't take it anymore. I brought my hands up to the sides of my head, trying to block out the commotion.

"I am trying to make her see the Jedi for who they are!" Bitterness.

"Enough!" I cried out and threw my arms out at each of them. The masked man and the one named Anakin each had to throw themselves back to keep from being impaled by the icicles that formed towards them. Did I? I looked down at my hands. I started to shake as more tears escaped. I did that.

"Rex, now!" Anakin yelled and I turned to face him to see a blue ring of energy hurtling towards me. Instinct took over and I threw my hands up in front of me and tucked my head, waiting for impact. And I stood there waiting. When I opened my eyes, I slowly looked up to see my wrists crossed. But beyond my crossed wrists and hands out in front of me, there was a large icicle pointing towards the sky. I gasped, but quickly looked for a way out. I had to go up. I jumped up onto the things I could grab and just kept jumping. I reached a roof and ran across it, jumping from roof to roof, tears blurring my vision.

"Kemara!" I heard from behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw the older one. Obi-Wan. As I jumped over a gap in the roofs, I twisted and threw my hand out, throwing a flurry of snow and ice at the ground in front of him. He knelt and leapt through the air, flipping over me and landing on the other side of my roof. I tried to skid to a stop, but ending up tripping and stumbling to a stop in front of him. I backpedaled as he ran up to me with a hand extended in front of me. "Kemara! Stop! Breathe!" His words struck my core. The familiarity of the sincerity in his words made me freeze. I curled the fingers of my extended hand back up and brought the shaking fist to my chest, holding my cloak tightly against me.

"I-I-" Gasping for air, I couldn't think. I bowed my head and squeezed my eyes shut.

"I know how scary this must be for you, but you must breathe. Don't let your fear control you." I followed his instructions as best I could. Trying to even out my gasping breaths, I tried to make sense of everything. Obi-Wan hadn't tried to hurt me yet. He was trying to help. "You're doing good." I felt his gloved hands grasp the curled fingers over my chest. I opened my eyes slowly as I felt him calm me. He was kneeling next to me, holding my hand between his. I looked back to the ground, ashamed.

"I'm so sorry-" I gasped, the tears slowing. "He tried to stun me and I just-"

"I know, I know. Anakin just wanted to get you home without you hurting anyone or yourself. There is nothing to be regretful of. You are facing a very difficult path, but we're here to make sure you're not alone."

"Who am I?" I sobbed, looking up to him. I wasn't sure through my own blurry vision, but I thought I saw tears in his eyes. His eyebrows furrowed before his face softened and his lips lifted slightly.

"You are Kemara Arundel. Padawan of the Jedi Order..." He hesitated before continuing, his smile deepening slightly. "My Padawan." He told me, emphasizing whose Padawan I was. I choked on a sob and lowered my head again.

"I don't-"

"I know. It's okay." I felt him take a hand off mine and brush a few fingers through my hair. I looked down to see a small, tightly woven braid between his fingers.

"Is that-" I choked again, trying to stop the sobs that wracked my body.

"Yes. It's yours." He affirmed after a second. Waiting another moment, he spoke again. "Kemara, your Padawan braid." I knew he was being honest. I could feel it. Without thinking, I launched myself into his chest, wrapping my arms around his neck as I buried my face into his neck. He hesitated, but wrapped his arms around my back and held me tightly. I let out one last choked sob before trying to breath deeply. We stayed there for a moment, Obi-Wan making me feel safe. I couldn't remember them, but I could feel a connection to him. To them. Not much time had passed when a large explosion erupted from the apartment complex we had just been in. Pain surged through me as I looked back. I knew exactly why. I gasped out a single word.

"Anakin." Neither of us faltered. Obi-Wan practically carried me to my feet and we ran. I jumped across the gap, slipping on the ice I had tried to get Obi-Wan to slip on just moments prior. He grabbed my arm and kept me on my feet, never stopping. We got back to the complex alley and looked down. The men in the armor were just starting to come to and the masked man was nowhere in sight. Neither was Anakin. Small fire puddles were all over with larger ones on the walls and mixed among the smaller ones. Obi-Wan jumped first, careful to avoid the flames. I jumped, just expecting to catch myself like I did when I jumped to the transport earlier. I didn't feel the same surge of energy I did then. I was going to go splat. Then I felt it, but it wasn't my doing. I fell into Obi-Wan's arms and he spun me as to carry my momentum and put me on my feet without making us both fall. The two armored men ran up to us.

"Where's Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked them. I didn't wait for an answer. I already knew. I ran into the apartment, not heeding Obi-Wan's warnings. "Kemara!" His voice was distant as I was already in the apartment.

"Anakin!" I coughed as I had been breathing hard and took in lungfuls of smoke. I brought my cloak up to my nose and mouth, searching for the man I knew was in here. I found him. Well, I found his feet. A piece of the ceiling had fallen on him and by the time I'd found his head, I heard a cracking noise and another bar was falling towards me. I don't know how I managed to roll out of the way. All I knew was that I couldn't get Anakin out alone. "Obi-Wan!" I cried out. Before I could call out again, the bar and ceiling sheet started floating into the air.

"Get him out!" Obi-Wan's strained voice yelled over the crackling flames and shifting materials. I lunged forward, hooking my arms under Anakin's as I started coughing again. The smoke burned my eyes and lungs and my nose was starting to run. Don't quit, don't quit! I was almost there. My eyes watered and I felt lightheaded. Just another meter. I felt my knees getting weak so I gave it one last push and threw the both of us out of the apartment. Anakin's head rested on my chest as I laid on the ground right outside the apartment. I thought I saw Obi-Wan kneeling above me, but the dots swimming in my vision, along with the tears in my burning eyes, made it a little difficult to tell for sure. My face contorted in pain as I wheezed, trying to get a good enough breath in. "Hold on, Kemara. We're getting you out of here." I felt a hand on my shoulder. I knew I was drifting so I grabbed the wrist. It slipped from my grasp as I felt myself go limp and everything fade to black.

**Thanks for reading! I'll always accept comments, questions, and concerns!**


	5. Shadows

**Heyo!! I know it's been a while since I updated! I apologize. Real life has been hectic, to say the least. I'm back now though! That being said, I'd love it if anyone would be open to proof reading my chapters before they're posted. The more the merrier, so feel free to let me know if you're interested in helping a girl out. Now, thank you for continuing the story! Read on!!**

A cough erupted from my lips, causing me to jolt upright in the bed. The first cough led to another cough, which led to another cough, which, in turn, put me in a coughing fit. Voices guided me as I struggled to breathe. Sit up straight. Deep breaths. Hold the mask tightly. I put a hand over the one that was holding the oxygen mask to my face. Another gentle hand on my back helped me sit up straight. After I was able to get a few deep breaths in, the coughing subsided. I opened my eyes slowly, blinking against the brightness of the medbay. I saw Obi-Wan sitting next to me holding my face mask and resting his other hand on my back.

"Just a few more deep breaths, Commander." A new voice said from next to Obi-Wan. My eyebrows furrowed and I looked over to him.

"Oh, Kix, for now, just Kemara." Obi-Wan told him as I struggled to get the mask off my face. Obi-Wan held it securely in place. "Three more, Kemara." I slumped slightly, much to the displeasure of Obi-Wan. He tapped a single finger on my back and reminded me to sit up as I took my breaths. I obliged, but slumped again after the mask had come off. "Kemara..." He said it in a tone. I'm sure I'd heard it before.

"Where's Anakin?" My throat was raw and my voice was hoarse. I put a hand up to my throat and winced as I swallowed.

"Kix, could she get some water, please?" Obi-Wan asked. I didn't care about water for me, I cared about the man I'd pulled out of the burning apartment. I pled with Obi-Wan for an answer with my eyes. He sighed. "He's alright." He nodded towards something on my other side. I turned slowly to see Anakin in a bed next to mine. He wore an oxygen mask as well, along with a few bandages wrapped around his forehead, chest, and his left arm. My eyebrows furrowed. "Here, drink this." Obi-Wan offered, tapping his finger on my back again to get my attention. I looked back to him and held my hand out for the cup, murmuring a small thank you as I looked at the foot of my bed and sipped on it. The water felt like bliss going down my throat. This was my fault. If I hadn't ran, then Obi-Wan could have stayed to help Anakin and he wouldn't be in that bed right there. "Kemara, I can sense your guilt. This is not your fault." I didn't look up to him.

"I should have trusted you two." It was barely above a whisper.

"You didn't know who you were and you didn't know us. You were scared, you felt alone. There is no shame in that." He explained. I furrowed my eyebrows and frowned as I looked up to him. He had a sympathetic smile, which relaxed me slightly. After a moment, he spoke again. "How are you feeling?" I nodded numbly. "Is it okay if we go to your quarters? Maybe being in a familiar place would help you remember something." I nodded again, not saying anything.

"Well, Kemara..." The man named Kix started. I looked up at him, forcing a very soft smile. He looked incredibly uncomfortable addressing me like that. "If you have any pain or discomfort in your chest or feel lightheaded or nauseous, find your way back down here and I'll get you taken care of." Obi-Wan helped me up as Kix listed symptoms.

"Thank you.. uh, Kix." I responded, just as uncomfortable. I turned back to follow Obi-Wan and gulped. As we were walking down the hall, we saw a few more men in those white uniforms. Some with helmets, some without. "Are they- uh, all-"

"Clones? Yes." Obi-Wan interjected, obviously picking up on how uncomfortable I was.

"How-" Once again, I was cut off. This time by the clone I saw in the alley. The one in yellow.

"General Kenobi, we are underway. We should arrive at Coruscant at 0500." General? 0500? What's with all the military terms?

"Thank you, Cody." He saluted and continued on his way, nodding to me as he passed. I looked back at him and watched him walk, confused. "Kemara." I heard Obi-Wan call to me. I looked the other way to see Obi-Wan halfway down the corridor. I ran to catch up, taking up step beside him again. Before I could ask what the deal was, he gestured to a door.

"It's mine?" I asked, looking at him then to the door.

"Yes. Go ahead." I took a deep breath at his words, holding it for a moment as I opened the door. I exhaled as I stepped into the room. It was... plain. Just a bed and desk with a couple data pads. I slowly made my way to the desk, reaching out the data pads. My hand wavered, pulling back slightly.

"Are these... mine?" A stupid question. They were in my room so they most likely were. I think I was just trying to stall, unsure of the emotions it would bring.

"Don't be scared, Kemara. I'm here if you need me." Obi-Wan said, stepping into the room. I bit my lip and reached forward, grasping the device.

"You know, you probably could've been a Knight by now." It was Anakin's voice. I looked over and he was sitting on the bed.

"Thanks for reminding me." I scoffed and sat on the chair in front of my desk, picking up the data pad. I scrolled through, looking over the Jedi Code before looking back to him with a sigh.

"I didn't mean it as a jab." He said softly after a moment, leaning forward. I set the data pad back down.

"I know." I put my head in my hands and rubbed my face. "And you're right. I screwed up."

I gasped as I came back to reality, the vision over. I looked down at the data pad. Words came on the screen as it powered up. The Jedi Code.

"Kemara, what did you see?" Obi-Wan asked from behind me. I looked over to the empty bed.

"Anakin was in here..." My voice was barely above a whisper. "We were talking about me messing up my Knighting." I said a little louder. Obi-Wan let out a sigh and sat on the bed.

"It wasn't your fault." I blinked at his words.

"What did I do?" I moved to sit on the side of the desk, watching him carefully. Not really sure how, I could feel the regret in him.

"It's not what you did. It's what I did. Your reaction to it is what the Council didn't like." He lowered his head slightly as he talked. I furrowed my eyebrows and gripped the sides of the desk, letting my shoulders slump slightly. I didn't say anything. I figured he'd talk when he was ready. It took him a moment, but he continued. "When I was still a Padawan, my master and I found you in the slums of Coruscant. We felt your connection to the Force. To us. We knew we had to take you in."

"Where did I come from?" I questioned when he paused.

"We didn't know. There was a note in the backpack you had saying you needed better care than the people that had you could give you. That you were meant for more." I frowned.

"They- abandoned me?" I couldn't stop the stinging in my eyes.

"Not exactly..." He said, looking up at me. "By the time we got you back to the Temple, it was very clear why they had left you for us to find. Your Force abilities were very strong..." He laughed and looked down again. "And your other powers as well."

"You mean, what I did in the alley?" Obi-Wan nodded.

"Yes. You actually froze the inner circuits of my lightsaber. It took me 2 whole days to figure out what was wrong." He let out a small chuckle and my frown faded slightly. I relaxed a little more sensing his own unease fade. "A few years later, you had been assigned a master and had been training under him during your time at the Temple. About a year before we had found Anakin, evidence came to light about your past. Where you came from. I was told to keep it from you."

"From who? Where did it come from? Why did they want to keep me in the dark? Did you keep it from me?" I blurted out the questions, watching his gaze fall to the floor even lower.

"The Council feared what you would do if you knew the truth. We don't know where the information came from. We found it on a data pad in a bag that was left on the Temple steps. Nothing to indicate who left it." He paused but looked up to me again. "It said the Sith was your brother. The one who you saw in the alley."

"He was a Sith? Is he the one-" My voice cracked, thinking back to when I walked into the apartment and found the cloth sitting in the corner. I ducked my head and bit my lower lip.

"What is it? Do you remember something?" He got up from the bed and I saw his boots come into view on the floor in front of me, along with feeling a hand on my shoulder. I nodded slowly, but didn't dare bring my head up. I didn't want him to see the tears in my eyes.

"In that apartment, the one where you guys found me, there was a cloth..." I stopped to take a breath, feeling myself freak out.

"Feel it. Feel your emotions and let them pass over you, but only pass over you. Don't hold on to them." Obi-Wan advised. I nodded quickly and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to feel them, but then let go. It worked, at least for a little bit.

"I saw him. I was there. In that apartment. He kept me there." I couldn't help from getting worked up. "He killed someone because of me." I ground out, looking up at Obi-Wan. He squeezed my shoulder.

"It was not your fault. He killed that person, not you." I dropped my head again, squeezing my eyes shut, letting my tears fall. I heeded his words, taking a deep breath. "Good. Your emotions don't control you. You control your emotions." I nodded slowly as I let the fear pass over me, knowing I was safe with Obi-Wan. I realized my hands were gripping the desk tightly, so I let them go, only to feel my hands stick to them. I looked down to my hand to see ice around my fingers on the desk. Wrenching them free, I hopped off the desk and quickly took a step back from the desk.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Obi-Wan took a step forward.

"Kemara, relax. It's okay. You are receiving a lot of new information, most of which is confusing and probably frightening." I nodded slowly, working through to calm myself down again. "Good. You always were good at calming yourself down." I sniffled before letting a small smile grace my lips.

"So what did I do that the Council didn't like?" I asked, trying to get the rest of the story out of him. He sighed, moving back to sit on the bed. I held my arms close to me, hugging myself, careful not to touch anything.

"Well, several years after we found out, I let it slip to Anakin. He insisted that we tell you, but I told him it was against the will of the Council. He wasn't happy. I'm still not sure how you found out. Anakin swore he never told you. I believed him. After you discovered we'd been lying to you, naturally, you felt betrayed." He felt alone, hurt, shameful. All the things I felt while running around on Nar Shaddaa. He paused, so I moved to sit next to him on the bed, careful not to make physical contact with him, yet close enough to know I wasn't leaving. "After an extended mission to Mon Calamari to keep the peace between the Quarren and the Mon Cala, you decided you needed time before returning to the Order."

"How long was I gone?"

"Over a year." Neither of us moved our gaze from the floor.

"I'm sorry I don't remember..." Obi-Wan let out a sigh.

"We'll figure it out. Don't worry." He said softly. I felt a pain run through my chest. I let out a small gasp and pressed a hand to my chest, doubling over. "Kemara!" Obi-Wan grabbed my arm. It quickly subsided.

"I'm okay. It's not me. I think it's Anakin." I said standing up and heading for the door. Obi-Wan was right behind me. Clones stepped to the side to let us pass as we ran down the hall. We arrived at med-bay and looked around. Kix was standing over an unconscious Anakin, an injector in his hand.

"Sorry, sirs. He was in too much pain, demanding to see the Comman-ah, Kemara." A pang of guilt ran through me. I lowered my gaze to the ground, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Excuse me, General. The Council requests you contact them immediately." A voice said from behind us. I turned around to see the one named Cody standing there. Obi-Wan turned as well.

"Thank you, Cody. I'll be there in a moment." Again, Cody nodded to me before turning to leave. Obi-Wan let out a sigh.

"I'll stay with Anakin. You can go talk to the Council." I said softly, looking up to him. Obi-Wan pressed his lips together and gave a tight nod. Without saying anything, he turned and walked out, the door sliding closed behind him. I took a tentative step forward, not moving my eyes from Anakin's prone form. I stood by his bedside, studying his face. He seemed at peace, despite the oxygen mask on his face. Not at all worried or scared or angry like he was in the alley. Despite not remembering him at all, I felt a connection.

"Do you remember him?" The clone Kix asked. I looked up and realized I'd been too lost in thought to see him move to the other side of the bed, checking Anakin's vitals on a data pad. I also didn't even realize I'd put my hand in his. Shaking my head softly, I answered him as I looked back down to Anakin's face.

"No... but I know I care about him." I let my gaze wander up to Kix. "Do you know when he'll wake up?"

"Shouldn't be long at all, Command-er, Kemara. Sorry." I frowned at his unease.

"I'm your Commander?"

"Ehr, not mine, but the 212th's. You're one of their commanding officers. Commander Cody is yours and General Kenobi's second-in-command. I'm one of the 501st's, or General Skywalker's, medics." I nodded, trying to process all the new information.

"You can call me Commander, if you want. You seem uncomfortable calling me Kemara." I offered. He let out a short chuckle.

"Thank you, Commander. No offense, but I was." He walked away with a smile. I sat on the edge of Anakin's bed, going through my head, trying to figure out why we were so close. My mind just kept replaying the way he introduced the two of them. The way he felt hurt when I didn't recognize them. Another pang of guilt fluttered through me as I realized we have years of history, and I can't relate to them anymore. Not a single one. When I thought back to how he tried to stun me, I pulled my hand away from his. His fingers tightening around mine made me freeze.

"Kemara." He groaned.

"Kix." I called out in a hushed voice, looking up to find him already on his way over.

"General Skywalker, how are you feeling? I upped your pain medication and will increase the rate of your bacta treatments." Kix talked to him from the other side of the bed.

"I'm fine, Kix." Anakin deadpanned. Then, he winced as he tried to adjust himself in the bed, which led to a cough, and that to a coughing fit.

"Yes, totally fine." I rolled my eyes as we helped him sit up and get the coughs under control. He seemed to realize that he was still holding my hand and gently let go.

"Still sarcastic as ever." He said offhandedly through his mask. I bit my lower lip and stepped back from the bed, furrowing my eyebrows. I didn't want to get too familiar with him too fast. Even if we had been best friends before I lost my memory. His gaze lowered as he realized I'd backed away. He brought his hand up and took his mask off, much to the displeasure of Kix.

"Sir-" He had started, but Anakin cut him off.

"Kix, I'm good." His voice was a bit raspy. I walked around the bed and got a cup of water poured for him. I turned back and brought the water and handed it to him gently. "Thank you, Kemara." I gave him a half smile and nod. It was weird, hearing a name that meant nothing to me. No recognition at all. I took a deep breath and sat down on the bed next to Anakin's. Kix started listing off symptoms, asking Anakin if he had any of them. Anakin, obviously just going through the motions and not paying attention, said no to all of them. Then, Kix said chest pain. And Anakin sighed. "Yes." He begrudged. Kix gave him a smirk.

"Confined to bed rest until we reach Coruscant!" Kix exclaimed as he turned around and walked away while pointing a finger in the air. I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows with a tight lipped smile.

"Kix..." Anakin groaned, but I saw the wince.

"Orders!" He proclaimed as he left the medbay, finger still in the air. I lowered my gaze and let my smile fall a little.

"How are you?" His voice made me look up at him suddenly, unsure of what to say. I shrugged and hugged my arms to my chest, not crossing them though as I looked back down.

"I'm fine, I guess... I had a little smoke inhalation so my throat is sore, but I-"

"Kemara..." He didn't mean physically. I hesitated, biting my lip.

"I feel bad, not being able to remember. I know I shouldn't, unless it's my fault, but I don't remember if it is, so I can't say for certain-"

"Kemara.."

"Right, sorry." I visibly winced as I looked back up to him.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm sure Obi-Wan has told you already, but I'll say it again. None of this is your fault. If anything, it's my fault. I didn't protect you when that Sith attacked." There was a venom in his voice when he mentioned the Sith, but he was genuinely rueful.

"Attacked? Is that how I... forgot?" I questioned, unsure of how to word it.

"I don't know. It all happened so fast... I think the fight lasted less than a minute. There was an explosion... you tried to block it with your powers, but it was too big. We were wounded and he just... overpowered us." He explained slowly. "I came to and you were gone." He put his head down, obviously blaming himself. I didn't know him. Didn't know how to comfort him. I hugged myself a little tighter. The door slid open to reveal the other clone I saw in the alley. The one in blue. The one who tried to stun me. I furrowed my eyebrows slightly as I looked to the floor. "Rex."

"General." He responded with a head nod. "General Kenobi asked Cody and I to give the Commander a tour of the ship, try to see if she remembers anything." I looked back up to see Cody walk in when I heard the door slide open again. Kix followed.

"Rex." Kix started scolding, following Cody to the bedside. "Don't even think about trying to break the General out."

"Relax Kix, we're here to show the Commander around." Cody covered.

"Yeah, that's what you said last time too." Kix argued. Rex, Cody, and Anakin started laughing.

"He's got a point." Cody offered Rex.

"Yeah, yeah." Rex dismisses with a wave of his hands, obviously guilty of whatever they were talking about. Kix and Cody grinned.

"Commander, Captain Rex and I are here to show you around the ship. General Kenobi hopes you might remember something." Cody addressed me. I pushed my shoulders back and pressed my lips together, nodding.

"Maybe next time, Rex." Anakin said as the four of us that weren't in the bed turned to leave the room.

"Next time, General." Rex responded. The clones all snickered, obviously still amused about what happened last time. "See you around, Kix." Rex said as Kix waved and walked the opposite way as the three of us.

**Thanks for reading, y'all! Be sure to drop those comments, questions, and concerns if you guys have any! I'll see you next time!**

**P.S.: You are all loved and appreciated more than you know. I know times are tough and there's a lot of hate in the world right now, but even if you feel like you are alone or no one loves you... I do!! And I always will. **


	6. Homecoming

**Everyone!!! Heyyyyy!!! I just want to say thank you to all of those who have stuck with me and my story so far. It means the world to me, really. Life happened and knocked me down, but I got back up and am ready to fight back. That being said, I'm in a super big Star Wars mood and want to grind out some chapters for this story. Just let me know if y'all want a bunch of chapters real quick or a little more spread out. That being said, any kind of comments or constructive criticisms are welcome, flames are not. You can even comment anonymously without an account. Just be respectful and loving. That's what the world needs right now! With all that said, welcome back and READ ON!!**

**_~JAZZ HANDS~_**

We went all around the ship and I didn't recognize anything. I let out a sigh as we climbed into the turbolift to go to the hangar.

"I wouldn't worry, Commander. You'll probably recognize something back at the Temple. You've only spent a few months on these cruisers." Cody tried to comfort.

"Right..." I couldn't keep the disappointment out of my voice. The lift slowed to a stop and the doors slid open. We stepped out into the large hangar that housed gunships, starfighters, walkers, and a bucket of bolts that passed as a freighter. My eyes lingered on it. "What is that?" I asked.

"It's Skywalker's, but it's also the last ship you were on before you two were attacked." Rex answered, gesturing to it. I tentatively stepped towards it before taking a deep breath and moving to the ramp. I walked up the ramp and into the cockpit, stepping through the threshold. Looking around, I took a step in. I let a hand rest on the copilot's chair as I studied the control panel. I felt the urge to reach out and touch it. They haven't steered me wrong yet, so I did.

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin's frantic, but also strained, voice called out. "Obi-Wan, come in!" I picked my head up to find myself laying on the control panel in front of the copilot's chair. The ship was almost face down in a giant mud swamp. I groaned as I pushed myself up and turned my body to lean against my side, the controls pressing into my ribs. The ship was slightly tilted so I slid my body down so that I was practically laying on the bottom of the controls and keeping my feet on the floor of the ship. "Kemara." I looked up to see Anakin pushing himself to do the same as me.

"I'm okay." I reassured him. My voice was pained as well.

"Comms are down. Town isn't far." He offered. I saw myself nod.

"Alright, lets go." I tried to get my feet under me and stand up on the control panel, but I stumbled forward and held a hand to my abdomen as pain flared.

"Easy, easy." Anakin got his feet under him and rushed forward to help me up. I felt the stabbing pain in my chest and abdomen again as he helped me get to my feet. "Just hang in there." I grunted out a laugh.

"You act like I'm dying." I couldn't lie, my upper body really hurt as he helped me climb up through the ship. We couldn't use the ramp due to how the ship was stuck so we'd have to go out the back.

"Not dying, just hurt because of me." He set me down on the wall beside the medical supplies and started digging through them, probably for a healing stim.

"Anakin..." I started softly. "When are you going to realize that it's not you're fault every time I get hurt?" He found what he was looking for and turned back to me, kneeling in front of me. He held out the stim canister to me and I took it from his hand. Taking a deep breath, I plunged it right into my chest. I gasped as I felt it start working immediately. The pain dulled and I could feel my body's natural healing process begin working overdrive.

"When it actually isn't my fault." He offered. I rolled my eyes as he helped me to my feet.

"There were 13 vulture droids on us. Not even you could have avoided this." I deadpanned, agitation a little evident in my voice. "Oh wait, you didn't." I glared at him. He furrowed his eyebrows right back at me. He turned around, obviously annoyed with me so I reached out and thumped the back of his head.

"Ow. What was that for?" He reached up and rubbed the back of his head as he turned back to me.

"You're not always going to be there to protect me, Anakin." He huffed out a breath because he knew I was right.

I took in a deep breath as I came back to the cockpit of the ship, taking my hand off the controls.

"What did you see?" Obi-Wan's voice made me turn around to see him standing in the doorway.

"Anakin and I crash landed somewhere and he felt responsible." I answered as I sat down in the copilot's chair, facing the pilot's chair, but my head turned towards Obi-Wan. "How do I do that?" I gestured to the controls.

"You have a rare gift among the Jedi, Kemara." He answered as he moved to sit in the pilot's chair, facing me. I let out a soft sigh.

"Just another reason for me to stick out..."

"You and Anakin always did have an aversion to how you both stuck out." I bit my lip and lowered my head. "But, you two made it work. You always stuck by one another." I glanced back up at him. "As for your ability to see the past, it's called psychometry, or Sense Echo. You feel it's history, events associated with it. Emotions as well." He explained.

"How do I control it?" I hugged my arms to my chest. His eyebrows furrowed at me and his gaze lowered to my hands.

"I'm not sure. Another Jedi helped you hone your skills. I've already requested he be at the Temple when we arrive to help you." I took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Come, we're almost to Coruscant." Obi-Wan stood and motioned to the door. I hung my head and followed him off the small ship.

"Sir, the gunships are prepped." Cody told Obi-Wan as we stepped off the ramp. Obi-Wan nodded and he turned towards them, Cody taking up step behind us.

"When we get to the Temple, the Council wants to speak with you, Kemara."

"Did I do something wrong before the Sith took me?" Obi-Wan felt startled as he took a bigger step in front of me and turned to stop, putting a hand on my shoulder, leaning down slightly to be eye level with me.

"What? No, not at all. They just want to see if they can help you remember who you are." I nodded slowly and he stood back up when something behind us caught his eye. "Anakin." He said it in the tone. Cody and I turned around to see Anakin walking up with a hand pressed to his abdomen. I bit my bottom lip gently and furrowed my eyebrows.

"What? We're basically at Coruscant." I felt the ship slow and Anakin gave Obi-Wan a wise guy smirk. "And now we are at Coruscant." Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and turned back to the gunships. Anakin gestured me to follow as he walked past. I quickly took up step behind them and next to Cody. We made our way over to the gunship that Rex was standing next to.

"Generals, we are ready to get underway." He reported.

"Thank you, Rex." Anakin responded. He nodded and the gunship doors slid open then closed again once we were inside. We all took hold of the handles that hung from the top as the gunship began to take off. The blast doors opened once again after we broke the atmosphere. The towering buildings and skyscrapers were mesmerizing, but what really grabbed my attention was something much bigger. The Jedi Temple. I felt drawn to it. "Look familiar?" Anakin asked. I looked up at him to see a small smirk on his face.

"No." Answering honestly, I could feel the sadness in Anakin. I took a deep breath. "Feels familiar." Anakin and Obi-Wan swelled with hope. I couldn't take my eyes off it as we circled it, waiting for permission to enter the hangar. We got our clearance and as we descended, the connection I felt to the Temple only grew. And my realization of how big it actually was. Inhaling through my nose deeply, I let it out slowly as we entered the hangar. I looked around, trying to find something, anything, that caught my eye. Supposedly, I'd been in this room countless times, yet it felt like the first. There was nothing I recognized. I let out a dejected sigh as the gunship touched the ground and Obi-Wan and Anakin stepped off. I hesitated, but followed suit when Anakin turned around to look back at me. Cody and Rex nodded to Obi-Wan and Anakin and went the opposite way to talk to the pilots. I didn't say anything as Anakin and Obi-Wan led me into the Temple.

Everything felt so familiar yet nothing at all looked familiar. While this place filled me with warmth, I couldn't shake this feeling of dread that sat inside me. Like it was gnawing at me, telling me to just turn and run. It felt the same as when the Sith was in the alleyway. Cold and dark.

"Kemara?" I snapped my head up to look at the source of the noise. I blinked at Anakin, unsure of what to say or do. "Uhhh, are you okay?" We had stopped walking so they could turn to look at me. Do I tell them what I was feeling? What if it was nothing? Just unease from not remembering? I don't want to worry them anymore. Luckily, I was saved from having to answer by a gruff voice calling out from behind me.

"Hey, Kenobi!" I turned around to see a Kiffar with long dark hair and tanned skin waving at us. I heard a sigh come from Obi-Wan, who was now behind me. I felt unease roll off him. "Arundel, so good to see my little shadow again!" I blinked at him, knowing nothing of this man.

"Uhhh..." I started, looking back to Obi-Wan slightly. I felt a hand on my other shoulder and looked to the other side to see Anakin with an eyebrow raised before looking back to the man in front of me again.

"Vos, best not to throw too much at her right now." Obi-Wan warned.

"The best way for her to remember who she is will be to get her to touch something significant in her life." The Kiffar said as he took his lightsaber off his belt. Tossing it at me, he grinned widely. I brought my hands up and caught it right at my chest.

It was hot. And bright. I looked on as I saw a Dug grab the throat of a Gungan and raise a fist to strike before a young boy with sandy blond hair walks up and interrupts him.

"Careful, Sebulba. He's a big time outlander." The boy said in Huttese. "I'd hate to see you get diced before we race again." He looked so familiar.

"Next time we race, boy, it will be the end of you." The Dug, apparently named Sebulba responded while waving the cooked creature it held in the boy's face. "If you weren't a slave, I'd squash you now." With that, Sebulba rocked his fist back and forth as he turned his body and hopped away.

"Yeah, it'd be a pity if you had to pay for me." The boy said. He looked back up to a slightly bearded man with long hair and and the top half tied back. "Hi." He greeted, returning to Basic.

"Hi there." The man responded back. He had a beautiful young girl following next to him. The Gungan began rubbing his throat as the young boy began talking again.

"Your buddy here was about to be turned into orange goo. He picked a fight with a Dug, an especially dangerous Dug called Sebulba."

"Mesa haten crunchen. Das da las ting mesa want." The Gungan explained.

"Nevertheless, the boy is right. You were heading into trouble." The older man offered before turning back to the boy. "Thanks, my young friend."

I gasped softly as I was brought back to reality.

"So? What'd ya see?" The Kiffar asked, bending down slightly to be eye level with me.

"Was it you?" He smiled at my vague question.

"Yes, the memory was mine."

"It was on a desert world. There was a Dug and a Gungan, as well as a girl and an older man with a beard and long hair tied back. A young boy stopped the Dug from hurting the Gungan." I could feel the shock radiating from Anakin behind me. Obi-Wan was a little stunned himself.

"What did you feel? Physically and emotionally." I thought on his words for a second.

"Well... it was hot. Very hot. You were.. sweating?" I asked, eyebrows raised slightly.

"Mhm." He encouraged, raising his own eyebrows.

"You felt a connection to someone nearby. The long-haired man, I think. Familiarity?" He grabbed my shoulder and a wide smile broke out across his face.

"Yes! Good job, Shadow!" I blinked hard and furrowed my eyebrows. Seeing my confusion, he clarified. "That's what I call you. You shadowed me for a month while I was training you to control your powers." He stood back up and nodded at me with his charismatic smirk. I couldn't help but feel the warmth that bubbled up inside of me. It was much better than the creeping cold fear I'd been feeling back on Nar Shaddaa. "When does the Council want to speak to her?" He turned to Obi-Wan.

"As soon as she's ready." My smile fell slightly at his words. I took a deep breath and held it as I turned around to face Obi-Wan, Anakin's hand falling off my shoulder.

"I am ready." Obi-Wan glanced to Anakin then back to me with a soft smile. He nodded before turning and leading the way.

As we walked through the halls, I was amazed by the simplistic beauty of everything. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I was in awe. The towering and arching ceilings and the high rise windows gave a very open feel. Not at all the closed off and crowded feeling that Nar Shaddaa gave me. The mix of reds, browns, and tans gave it a natural hue as well.

"Kemara!" An excited voice called out from behind us. I let my mouth drop slightly as we all stopped and turned to see a young Togruta running towards us. My breath caught in my throat and I froze. The dead man on the floor of the apartment I was in on Nar Shaddaa was a Togruta. A death I caused. But how? The vision I saw back in the apartment showed the Sith stabbing him in the back. He told me to look at what I'd done. A hand on my shoulder brought me back. I looked up to see Obi-Wan smiling down at me reassuringly. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. I felt bad for not being able to remember. Not that it was my fault. But still. These guys shouldn't have to babysit me if I was everything they said I am.

"Hi..." I smiled and waved awkwardly, not knowing how to address the young girl that had joined the group. Just like the boys had in the alley, she seemed familiar. Not quite as much, but a good familiar all the same.

"Ahsoka." Anakin butted in quickly, introducing her to me in a way. I bit my lip as I half smiled. "I told you not to overwhelm her."

"Sorry, master, I just wanted to see her." The Togruta apologized, wincing slightly.

"We're on our way to a Council meeting. I'll meet up with you afterwards." Anakin told her. She nodded and turned to walk away to the direction she just came from. I watched her walk away for a moment before the rest of us turned back to walk to our own destination. We arrived at a turbo lift and stepped in. The walls being made of glass grabbed my attention. As we began our ascent, I saw galleries displayed on repulsors.

"Woah..." I breathed out, taking in the beauty of each display. Mosaics, tapestries, and sculptures showed a story.

"The history of the Order. You never did get tired of looking at them." Obi-Wan explained. I only peeled my eyes away when I felt the turbo lift come to a stop and I had to follow the others out. I looked at the doors that seemed to tower over us as we waited to enter. I took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out slowly. Was I nervous? I asked myself the question and bit my lip as I thought. Were these people going to have a prejudice against me since I left the Order before? Then, a scary thought floated across my mind.

Would they kick me out of the Order because I couldn't remember who I was? Would they be willing to retrain me? Most of the training I'd had up this point.. it was gone. I could tell instincts took over at some points, but even then, I didn't know what I was doing. That could be dangerous. We weren't waiting long, but Obi-Wan's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. The door stood open and I looked in to the room of people. Some were actually there while others were participating via hologram. I hopped quickly to Obi-Wan's side and we entered, right to the middle of the room. Anakin and the one Obi-Wan called Vos stood back towards the door. The door closed and I looked to a small green individual that spoke up.

"Padawan Arundel, to see you safe, happy we are." I pulled my lips into a thin smile, regretful I don't know who he was in the slightest.

"Padawan, Obi-Wan has informed us you don't remember much from your time here at the Temple. Is that correct?" I nodded slowly at him. "Can you tell us what you do remember?" A human next to him said. I blinked at him before lowering my eyes and furrowing my eyebrows. I bit my lip as I thought back to the memories I'd uncovered since the time I'd woken up in the alley.

"Um, I don't remember anything from the Temple, but I have gotten small fragments of things from here and there since I woke up on Nar Shaddaa." I offered, looking back up to the two that had spoken to me so far.

"Mmm, tell us, please." The small green one asked. So, I started by explaining how I saw Anakin and Obi-Wan in the alley and I bolted.

"Sense them, you didn't?" I shook my head at his words.

"Well... I didn't in the alley. Right before I ran into the alley, a familiar sensation ran through me. I didn't know at the time that it was them. I was so caught up in the moment."

"Continue, please." The little green one said after I elaborated. I nodded and went on to describe what I'd experienced up until the point I met Anakin and Obi-Wan outside the apartment. The human next to him spoke up again.

"The Togruta you encountered in the apartment. Had you seen him before the vision you had in the apartment?" I shook my head.

"No, sir." I answered, folding my hands in front of me.

"Anakin.." They started, prompting Anakin to step forward and stand on my other side. "Is this when you encountered the Sith that ambushed you and Kemara on Nal Hutta?"

"Yes, Masters. Again, he was trying to sway Kemara to his side." As Anakin said my name, he put a hand on my shoulder.

"What was your response, Padawan?" A Cerean that sat on the other side of the small green alien asked. I turned my head slightly to look at him as I answered.

"I was.. confused. A bit scared? I didn't know who to trust so, I just ran." I tilted my head down slightly, lowering my gaze to the floor.

"Ashamed, you are?" I brought my gaze back up to the small creature. Biting my lip, I pressed my arms against myself, holding my left with my right. I furrowed my eyebrows softly and nodded. "Why?" I took a deep breath and looked back down.

"I feel like I should remember..." I paused before continuing. "Something feels like its right out of my reach. Like, it's just in front of me, but there's something blocking it. It's been bothering me ever since I woke up, but I couldn't explain it until now." I looked up as I finished talking.

"Your fault, this is not." I made eye contact with him and nodded. Obi-Wan kept saying that, but I couldn't help feeling like it was. "Work with you, Obi-Wan and Quinlan will. Help you remember, they will." Obi-Wan put his hand on my other shoulder. "To Obi-Wan, we must speak." I saw Anakin and Obi-Wan bowing and felt a gentle push from both of them for me to do the same. I stood back up straight and followed Anakin out. While crossing the threshold, I turned to see Obi-Wan sitting down in a chair that had remained empty during the meeting and he smiled softly at me. I turned back to Anakin while we walked to the turbo lift.

"He's on the Council?" I asked exasperatedly. Anakin laughed as the turbo lift doors opened.

"Yes, don't worry. He'll make sure you're taken care of." Anakin's words only slightly eased my apprehension.

**YOU ARE LOVED!!! (and if you think no one else does, I love you!!!!)**


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